Straightaway blindstitch sewing-machines.



T. J. HAYES.

STRAIGHTAWAY BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20. 1915.

1,291,503. Patented Jan. 14,1919.

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STRAIGHTAWAY sumnsmcu SEWING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED JAN- 20. I915- 1,91,503. Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS HAYES, 0F ROSLINDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, AQSIGNOR '10 ARBETTER FELL- ING.MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

STRAIGHTAWAY BLINDSTITCH SEWING-MACHINES.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 14, 1919.

Application filed January 20, 1915. Serial No. 8,403.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that'I, THOMAS J. HAYES, a citizen of the United States,

and resident of .Roslindale, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in straightaway Blindstitch Sewing- Machines, of which the following descrip* tion, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in blind stitch sewing machines for felling, padding and the like in which a series of stitches are formed by a curved needle oscillating in a fixed plane andinclined to the work supporting surface of the work support andlying parallel or substantially parallel'to .the line of stitching.

In blind stitching machines heretofore made and particularly the class of blind stitching machines which are adapted for felling -a superimposed layer of material upon a base lay'erof material, the curved oscillating needle is vibrated in different planes; mechanism being provided whereby upon one series of oscillations the needle will penetrate thebase layer and upon the alternating series' of. oscillations the needle will penetrate the superimposed-layer, the

threads laid in these layers being concate-' nated and the concatenated loops drawn into one or the other of said layers. In some forms of blind stitching machines the needle penetrates the superimposed layer. at or ad- 'JaCBIIt to the edge thereof and emerges from the upper face of said layer at a distance,

back from the edge so that the threads concatenating the loops laid by the needle are drawn over the ed e'of the'goods making a seam which is di cult if not impossible to conceal.

In my prior application No. 784,687, filed Aug. 14, 1913 Patent #1-,230,1'59, June 19, 191, a machine is disclosed in which'a curved needle is oscillated alternately in parallel planes inclined to the work supporting surface of the work support, the needle being shogged, first to engage the base layer which is presented to the needle by suitable bender mechanism, and second the superimposed-layer.- In the latter case v the needle will, by reason of its oscillation in a plane inclined to the surface of the lying in a substantiall work support enter well beneath the superlmposed layer before its point penetrates sald layer and will emerge from the superimposed layer at or beneath the edge thereof.

The blind stitch made by this machine is entirely concealed beneath the edge of the Work supporting surface of the work sup- I port may be caused to penetrate both the ase and superimposed layer upon each stroke,

tially straight runnin seam in which the base and superimpose layers are locked together by the loops of needle thread, preferably concatenated with a locking thread extending from one loop to the next and straight line along or beneath the edge 0 the material. This seam can be made ra idly by the mechanism disclosed herein an is especially adapted for many classes of work.

The nature of the invention will more fully appear from the following drawings, the'accompanying description, and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

, The drawings illustrate one of the .preferred forms of mechanism embodying my invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a sewing machine embodying my invention, 1

Fig. 2 is a front end view,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on lines 3 e, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a detail-plan view of the bender mechanism,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the bender adjusting mechanism, showing the bender and its operating lever in elevation,

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the-needle actuating mechanism,

Fig. 7 is a plan View of a preferred form of presser foot adapted for the stitching mechanism disclosed, and 1 Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the seam made by the machine disclosed herein.

The sewing machine illustrated herein .or upon selected strokes as circumstances may require, producing a substanarm 3 terminating in the usual head 4, a

main driving shaft 5 having the usual'driving pulley 6 and hand wheel 7 being mounted in suitable bearings 8, 9, 10, in said arm and provided at its front end, which extends into the head with cams 11 and 12 adapted to operate respectively to oscillate the needle bar pitman 13 andthe take-up 14.

I-n forming the seam above described the material is presented to the needle by a bender which presses together the base and superimposed layers in the path of the needle so that the needle will enter first the base layer and emerging therefrom will enter,

the under surface of the superimposed layer. In order that the needle may be so positioned as to enter the base layer at a point well beyond the folded edge of the superimposed layer the needle is desirably maintained in a fixed plane inclined to the work supporting surface of the work support and is so oscillated that the needle will normally enter beneath and beyond the edge of the superimposed layer and emerge therefrom at, '01 beneath the edge of said layer, so that when the base layer'is elevated by the bender the needle will first engage the base layer at the point where otherwise it would engage the superimposed layer, and passing through the upper portion of the base layer will enter the superimposed layer, emerging therefrom at or beneath the edge thereof.

In the mechanism herein disclosed the needle bar which carries the oscillating needle is supported from a rigid bracket.

carried by the sewing machine head, said bracket preferably being made adjustable so that the position of entryand emergence of the needle from the material may be varied within the requirements of this class of stitching.-

In the mechanism disclosed herein the lower portion 15 of the head is thickened and is provided with a preferably vertical aperture in which is seated the stem 16 of a bracket 17 which is bifurcated at its lower end to provide journals 18, 19, adapted to receive the shaft 20 of the needle bar 21 which carries the curved needle 22.

The lowerlportion 15 of the head desirably maybe provided with an extension 15 adapted to support the complemental stitch forming mechanism which may as illustrated herein be in the form of a rotary hook which may be driven from the main shaft by suitable gearing such as that illustrated herein.

The bracket 17 desirably is adjustably supported in the head 4 by a screw 23 seated in ,drical stem 16 off-the bracket 17. The shaft as end with an arm 24 to, which is pivotally conmemes nected a sleeve 25 which is screw threaded to receive'the end of 'a link 26, the link 26 being also provided with. a set nut 27 by means of which theefiective length'of the link 26 may be varied. The link 26 is provided. at its opposite end with a universal joint 28 by means of which it is connected to the lower arm 39 of a bell crank lever which is pivotally mounted upon a stud 30 projecting laterally from the sewing machine head, the opposite'end 31. of the bell crank being connected to the needle bar operating pitman 13. 7

It will be obvious from the mechanism above described that thereciprocation of the .pitman 13 by the cam 11 on the main shaft will cause the oscillation of the bell crank lever which will in turn reciprocate the link maybe positioned to cause the stitches to lie at a slight angle either to the right or to the left of the line of feed of the material.

The worksupport 32 is providedwith a cylindrical stemslidably mounted in guides in the bed plate 1 and yieldingly supported therein by a spring 33. The usual means may be provided for depressing the work support, which as shown in the drawing is in the form of a lever 34 engaging a lug 35 upon the work support and provided at its opposite end with a suitable knee lever (not shown) attached to a boss .36 on the end of the lever. f 1' Any suitable mechanism may beemployed to present the work to the stitch forming mechanism, the machine illustrated herein however, embodies a novel form of bender mechanlsm and also of feeding mechanism,

the feeding mechanism being made the-subj ect of a companion applicat1on filed concur rently. herewith, Ser. No. 3,404. This feeding mechanism comprises a feed dog 32* which ispivotally supported upon links 33*, 34;, which are yieldably-mounted upon stems extending into bosses in the frame of the machine. A rock shaft 35*journaled in the work support is provided-with an arm having an extension 36* rotatably and slidably mounted in a guideway in the feed dog 32*. The rock shaft 35 is actuated by 'a link 37* connected to a suitable rock shaft which, in the mechanism disclosed herein, is in the form of a sleeve surrounding a solid rock shaft. The oscillation of the hollow rock .26 and cause the oscillation of the needle bar shaft or sleeve imparts through the rock shaft 35 a vertical movement to said feed dog. The solid rock shaft is connected by a link 38 to the feed dog and gives said feed dog its forward and backward movement, as disclosed in the application aforesaid.

In order to present the base layer of material to the needle any suitable form of bender mechanism may be utilized, preferably however, the bender is made ad ustable so that it may be thrust to a greater or less distance above the surface of the work support.

' The bender 37 is mounted in suitable guides in the work support and is secured to a rod or stem 38 which is slidably mounted in lugs 39 extending laterally from an arm 40 secured to a rock shaft 41, the oscillation of which will cause the bender to be projectd beyond the surface of a work support.

In order that the bender may yield when it engages an unusual obstruction such as a seam, means are desirably provided for permitting a yielding movement between the bender and its actuating mechanism. As disclosed herein the bender shaft 41 is provided at its opposite end with an arm 42 to which is pivotally connected a member 43 having laterally extendin lugs 44, 45, said lugs being apertured in alinement to receive a stem 46 connected to a link 47 which is provided at its upper end with a yoke 48 em bracing a cam 49 upon a countershaft 50 which-is driven through a preferably worm gear 51 from a cooperating gear 52 upon the main driving shaft5. The yoke 48 may be maintained in proper relation to the cam 49 by a link 53 pivotally connected at one end to a stud 54 on said cam and at its outer end to a shaft or stud 55' carried by the.stand ard 2.

The lower'end of the stem 46 is provided with a helical spring 56 the tension of which may be adjusted by setnuts 57 upon the end of the stem 46, said spring being seated at one end upon said nuts and at the otherend upon the under surface of the lug 45. It will be obvious from the mechanism above described that any suitable ratio of gearing may be provided upon the main and countershaft to actuate the bender in synchronism with the oscillations of the needle; and that the bender may be actuated upon every through the yoke 48 and thereby cause oscillation of the arm 42 of the bender actuating shaft 41. By reason of the sliding connection between the stem 46 which extends downwardly from the link 47 and the member 43 which is supportedtherefrom by the spring 56 which encircles the stem 46 a yielding connection isprovided which will permit sira ly comprises a milled nut 60 seated in a recess 61 in the upper face of the bed plate and engaging a sleeve 62 which has upon its lower end a flange 63 en aging the under surface of the boss extending downward from the lower surface of the bed plate. The sleeve'62 is designed toreceive a pin 64 engaging at its upper end the under surface of the milled nut .60 and at'its lower end a lug or flange 67' upon the arm 40. The pin 64 is desirably provided with a shoulder or collar 68 which engages the lower end of a spring 68 whichisinclosed within the sleeve 62 and which bearsat its upper end upon the under surface of the milled nut 60.- It will be obvious that the pin 64 will be maintained in" contact with the flange 67 on the arm 40 and that its upper end will reciprocate relatively tothe under surface of the milled nut. By screwing the milled nut up and down the extent of reciprocation and consequently the extent of movement of the upper end of the material engaging end of the'bender may be accurately adjusted. Furthermore, such adjustment can be conveniently effected by the operator from above the surface of the bed .plate of the machine, which is highly advantageous.

In order to insure exactnessand uniformity in the seam and particularly in res ect to the points atwhich the needle siall emerge from the superimposed layer it is desirable that means be provided which will engage the superimposed layer adjacent to the edge thereof and maintain the edge of the superimposed layer at a fixed distance from the path of the needle. It will be obvious that various mechanisms, either movable or stationary, may be utilized for this purpose, but preferably the guide for presser foot.

The preferred form of presser foot as illustrated herein comprises a horizontal member having laterally extending ears 69 secured to the depending extension 15 of the head and with forwardly extending toes 7071 having a recess 72 therebetween through which the superimposed layer is directed to the needle mechanism. The recess is preferably enlarged toward its rearward end to form a throat opening 73 oppothe superimposedlayer forms a part of the &

site to the position in which the bender rises through the work support.

I the path of the needle and extends approxiedge or at the same distance beneath the.

mately to the vertical-plane in which the bender reciprocates. By reason of this construction the upper surface of the superimposed layer can not be elevated beyond a predetermined point and the path of the needle being constant in its relation to the position of the flange 74 will necessarily emerge from the superimposed layer at the edge of said superimposed layer as may be predetermined by the adjustment of the needle mechanism. The forward endof the toe 7 0 may be provided with an edge uide 75 and also with a laterally extending angs 7 6 adapted to underlie the superimposed layer and separate the same from the base layer.

In the operation of the machine the base layer of material will pass beneath the presser foot while the superimposed layer will be guided beneath the curved flange 7a and finally pass beneath the presser foot beyond the rearward end of the flange. 'When the bender is thrust through the work support the base layer and the superimposed layer will be elevated against the overlying flange 74 and presented in the path of the needle so that the needle will first penetrate the upper surface of the base layer and emerging therefrom will penetrate the surface of the superimposed layer beneath and back from the edge thereof and will emerge from the superimposed layer at the edge thereof at a predetermined distance beneath said edge as may be desired.

If the bender is not pressed upwardly the separating guide 7 6 will raise the superimposed layer so that upon the succeeding oscillation of the needle it will pass over the base layer and enter the underside of the superimposed layer emerging at substantially the same point in or beneath the edge thereof as in the previous operation. This stitch however, is an idle stitch since it only lies in the superimposed layer. By suitable selection of the gears 51, 52 one ormore of these idle stitches may be made intermediate of the stitches through the base and superimposed layer above described so that the superimposed layer may be caught to the base layer only at intervalsbut the edge will be stiffened and strengthened by the idle stitches taken therein.

raised at one end to show the needle in. the

memos position assumed by it when penetrating the base layer and emerging from beneath the edge of the superimposed layer.

It will be apparent from examination of this illustration that the needle penetrates first the upper surface of the base layer at a point a well back from the edge of the superimposed layer and emerging from the base layer immediately enters the superadja'cent surface of the superimposed. layer at b, emerging from said superimposed layer at a point 0 at or preferably, (as illustrated herein,) beneath the edge of the superimposed layer. When the concatenating thread g has been passed through the loop of needle thread and the stitch set by the take-up mechanism the interlaced loops will be drawn within the superimposed layer as shown.

It will be understood that if the bender is raised to present the base layer to the needle at every stitch. the seam will comprise a series-of stitches of the character above described.

If, however, the bender is actuated intermittently, one or more idle stitches may be made in the superimposed layer between the successive stitches which penetrate both layers. Where as in the machine illustrated herein the ratio of movement of the bender to that of the stitch forming'mechanism is one to two, the next penetration of the needle after the formation of the stitch above described will be at the point d in the superimposed layer, the point of emergence of the needle being at the point e beneath the edge of the superimposed layer, corresponding in position in respect to the edge of said layer to the point of emergence 0 of the needle in the preceding stitch. When the concatenating thread is passed through the loop and the stitch set the interlaced loops will be drawn within the supercatenate the loops of needle thread; further- I more that a chain stitch may be formed in place of the lock stitch shown by slight changes in the mechanism which will be obvious to those skilled in the art of sewing machines.

Any suitable. feeding mechanism may be utilized in connection with this invention, such as that illustrated herein, but inasmuch as the particular feeding mechanism forms no part of this invention, detailed description thereof will be'unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

' .1. A blind stitch sewing machine comprising a work support, a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism located above the work support; means for maintainingand operating the needle above the work support in a fixed plane inclined with relatlon to the work supporting urface of the work support, and means for presenting the material in the path of the needle.

' 2. A blind stitch sewing machine for fell ing a superimposed layer upon a base layer of material comprising a work support, a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism located above the work support; means for maintaining and operating the needle in a fixed plane inclined with relation to the work sup orting surface of the work support an means for presenting simultaneously portions of the base and superimposed layer in the path of the needle whereby the needle will enter the base layer beneath and beyond the edge of the superimposed layer and will emerge from the superimposed layer at or beneath the edge thereof.

3. A blind stitch sewing machine for felling a superimposed layer upon a base layer of material comprising a work support, a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism located above the work support and mean for feeding the work across the work support; means for maintaining and operating the needle in a fixed plane inclined with relation to the work supporting surface of the work support and substantially parallel to the line of feed and means for presenting portions of the material in the path of the needle whereby the needle will enter the base layer beneath and beyond the edge of the superimposed layer and will emerge from the superimposed layer at or beneath the edge thereof,

.4. A blind stitch sewing machine for felling a superimposed layer upon a base layer of material comprising a work support, a

curved oscillating needle and comp emental stitch forming mechanism located above the work support and means for feeding the work across the work support; means for maintaining and operating the needle in a fixed plane inclined with relation to the work supporting surface of the work support and substantially parallel to the line of feed; a bender, and means for actuating the same at intervals to present the base layer in the path of the needle whereby the needle will form a stitch in the base and superimposed layer entering the base layer imposed layer alone.

at a point beneath and beyond the edge of the superimposed layer and emerging from the superimposed layer at or beneath the edge thereof.

-5, A blind stitch sewing machine for felling a superimposed layer upon'a base layer of material comprising a work su port, a curved oscillating needle and comp emental titch forming mechanism located above the work support and means for feeding the work across the work support; means for 'malntaining and operating. the needle in a 6. A blind stitch sewing machine for felling a superimposed layer upon a base layer of material comprising a work support, a curved oscillating needle and complemental stitch forming mechanism located above the 96 work support and means for feeding the work across the work support; means for maintaining and operating the needle in a plane of fixed inclination relative to the work supporting surface of the work sup- 100 port, means for adjusting the position of the plane of oscillation of the needle with respect to the line of feed and means for presenting portions of the material in the path of the needle.

7. A blind stitch sewing machine for felling a superimposed layer upon a base layer of material comprisin a work support, a curved oscillating nee e and complemental stitch forming mechanism located above the .work support and means for feeding the work across the work support; means for maintaining and operating the needle in a fixed plane inclined with relation to the work supporting surface of the work supv port, a bender and means for actuating the same to present the base layer in the path of the needle, means engaging the upper surface of the superimposed layer adjacent to the edge thereof and adapted to maintain a fixed relation between the upper surface of the superimposed layer and the path of the needle whereby the points of emergence of the needle from the superimposed layer will lie at a fixed distance from the upper surface and from the edge of said layer.

8. A blind stitch sewing machine for felling a superimposed layer upon a base layer of material comprisin a work support, a curved oscillating'nee e and complemental 18o stitch forming mechanism located above the work support and means for feeding the work across the work support; means for maintainin and operatin fixed plane inclined with re ation to the work supportingsurface of the work support, a bender and means for actuating the same to present the base layer in the path of the needle, a presser foot having an inclined flange overlying the path of the needle and engaging the upper surface of the su erlmposed layer, thereby maintaining a xed relation between the upper surface of the superimposed layer and the path of the needle, whereby the points of emergence of the needle from the superimposedlaye'r will lie at a fixed distance from the upper surface and from the edge of said'layer.

9. A blind stitch sewing machine for felling a superimposed layer upon a base layer of material comprisin a work support, a curved oscillating nee 1e and complemental stitch forming mechanism located above the work support and means for feeding the Work across the work support; means for maintaining and operating the needle in a the needle in a fixed plane inclined with relation to the work supporting surface of the work support, a bender and means for actuating the same upon predetermined cycles of the stitch forming mechanism to resent the base layer in the path of the nee le whereb the base layer and superimposed layer w "be united and in other cycles "-theneedle'will "engage only the superimposed layer to form'idle stitches, a presser foot havin aninclined flange overlying the path of t e needle and engaging the upper surface of the superimposed layer to maintain a fixed relation between the same and the path of the needle whereby the oints ofemergence of the needle from t e superimposed layer will lie at a fixed distance from the upper surface and from the. edge of said superimposed layer in both the fixed and idle stitches.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

4 THOMAS J. HAYES.

Witnesses:

Amen G. NIXON, TrioMAs J. DRUMMoNo. 

